Improvement in musical notation



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'F. w. AcEE.

2 Musical Notation. No. 122,096. Patented Dec. 26,1871.

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. UNITED STATES EIELDINC WALLACE ACEE, or COLUMBUS, GEORGIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN MUSICIAL NOTATION.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.122,096, dated December 26,1871.

I, FIELDING WALLACE ACEE, of Columbus, in the county of Muscogee, State of Georgia, have invented certain Improvements in Music-Notes, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to an improvement on music-notes. Intmodern music there are seven primary notes used, the eighth `being a repetition of the iirst, and perfecting an octave of the scale.

The iirst seven letters of the alphabet are used to represent the degrees of the scale, which are Written on the stati', the eighth letter being a repetition of the first. These letters are called by seven syllablesviz., Do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si,-, and do--and are applied to a like number of uni-4 form black characters, called notes, printed on the lines and spaces of the staff.

Before any one can read or sing a piece of music he must become perfectly acquainted with the scale of letters Written on the staff, with the transposition of the keys, signs, Snc., which involves an amount of study and research that feW l of the masses ever acquire. After having the information before mentioned, it requires a quick perception, a true eye, and a readymemory to read correctly the notes of a tune; and professors often commit errors in reading or singing new pieces. y

In the colored notes, which consists of an application of seven distinct colors to the seven notes of the scale, the eighth being a repetition offthe first, the singer is never at a 'loss to call the notes by their proper names, though Written in the-.saine way on the lines and spaces of the staff, yet each note bearing a distinct color is yat once known and designated. The pupil does not depend altogether upon the position ofthe note on the scale to designate it, but is at once assisted by the color. Another advantage is also obtained in sounding the notes. Having once learned the relative position of each colored note n on the scale, so soon as he sees the note he is more quickly prepared to give itthe correct sound. I have adopted the following colors as the most distinct and-suitable for the notes of the scale: (See alphabet in illustration z) Green, yellow, red, brown, blue, black, and pink, applied to the syllables do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, and'si. The shape of the notes are the same as used in all modern music. The arrangement of each piece and each vpart in everypiece is in harmony with the keynote, see in illustration Rest for the Wearytreble, alto, tenor, bass,) which governs the position of the colored notes on the lines and spaces ofthe stalf. The application of color to the notes of the scale in music brings the heretofore diiicult and beautiful art of singing by note, which is the only correct method, Within the reach of every one.

By this improvement-the pupil will be able,

` after committing to memory the alphabet of coloredqnotes, learning to sound the notes of the scale, and to keep the time correctly, to read at sight and sing correctly and rapidly any piece of music presented to him:

In the illustration the colored notes have been applied to the tune called Rest for the Weary- A, the treble; B, the second treble or alto; C, the tenor; D, the bass; E, the alphabet of colored notes; F, the syllables of the notes.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

.The method of musical notation herein described, each of the seven notes of the scale being indicated by a distinctive color, as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

E. W. AGEE.

Witnesses:

F. G. BLAU, J. L. DozIN. 

